[Streak 5 Themes and Apps] alperin1:
OK, what are the 9.pngs used for or why are they needed.

Stretchable Patches

If you have an image that you may need to stretch you then converting it to a 9.png will allow it to stretch. Also if you need put something in the PNG file, by converting it to a 9.png you can tell it where the text/data/information is allowed in the png file.

When you convert to a PNG you need to need to put a single pixel on the left side of the image and the top of the image. This pixel is not part of the image but in a frame around the image the frame also is just one pixel all the way around the image.

When you put the pixel on the top of the image you are telling the system where the image can be enlarged. Draw and line straight down from you pixel and this is where the image will stretch from. This just allows the image to grow to the left and to the right. Think of it as a square when you put the dot at the top of the square you can them change the square and stretch it left and right to make the square wider, so that it is now a rectangle. This all comes in handy when you rotate your device from landscape to portrait and back again.

Now when you put the pixel on the left side of the image, again in the frame that is around the PNG file, you are telling the system where it can stretch the image, this time you can pull the image up or down and so the height will change. Again image a square, you put the dot on the left side of the this determines at what point the square is allowed to stretch.

Only the lines with the dots on them will change, the rest of the square will retain the original shape and the original image. Most of the time this is done to an image that is only one color so that you are not messing with an image.

Here is the best example I can give of the DOT at the top of the 9.PNG or the left side.

Take two pieces of blank paper that you have and set one on the table and then set the second piece of paper in top of the first with about one inch of the right side of the first (bottom) piece of paper showing. The point where the top piece of paper ends and the bottom piece of paper starts is that DOT. Now slide the bottom piece of paper to the right and keep the top piece of paper still. Hope this all make sense

Content Area

Now lets look at the right side and the bottom of the PNG file. These two side determine where in the PNG file that text or other stuff can overlay or be imposed into the PNG file.

If I have an PNG that is a button and it is 50 x 50 pixels and I want the text for the button to be centered left to right, I would focus on the bottom of the 9.PNG image. I want the text to be able to use most of the pace from left to right but i do not want it to use the left 5 pixels at either end, I would create a line at the bottom of the 9.PNG that begins 6 pixels from the left and ends 6 pixels from the right. Why 6 pixels you are asking, well I have a one pixel from around the image and I needed to take that into account.

The same thing is used to center the text on the button from the top and bottom. Only this time you would use the right side of the image and fill in all pixels except for the 6 from the top and the 6 from the bottom.

Now when the button is stretched, you can use more of the space, but you will never be able to use the last 5 pixel on the top, bottom, left or right.

WOW, that was a long write up.

Enjoy,

Alperin1.

BTW, this is not unique to the Streak, it is used for the Android OS and maybe more.